Twelve Days
by Merlin71
Summary: Missing scene from The Last Man. Insert shep whump.


**Title: 12 Days**

**Author: Merlin7/clarkangel**

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

**Rating: G**

**Spoilers: The Last Man**

**Arhcive: Anywhere**

**Summary: Missing scene from The Last Man. Insert shep whump.**

**12 DAYS**

The moment John exploded through the gate, back to Atlantis - his time - he was ready to turn around and go straight back through the gate in search of Teyla. But Carter and Keller had other ideas.

John knew he had no choice but to subject himself to Keller's tests and Carter's questions. He'd been gone for twelve days, so they had a right to their suspicions. Especially after Carson's return. Between friends turning into Replicators and clones, it was a bit surprising they didn't lock him up in a holding cell or, at the very least, have a security guard watching him. But John was still impatient. The moment Keller finished scanning him he sat up and slid off the bed only to almost hit the floor when his knees buckled.

"Colonel?" Keller was by his side in an instant, only just beating Ronon who caught John and supported him while he tried to get his feet back under him. A feat that wasn't going all that well.

He saw, through a haze, the glance Keller and Ronon exchanged and he wasn't really all that surprised when he found himself almost carried over to a bed in the corner and gently deposited there. "I'm...I'm good," John insisted, when Keller started taking his vitals for what must have been the twentieth time since his return.

Keller shook her head at him. "You wouldn't have nearly passed out if you were good, Colonel," she admonished him. "I think you'll be my guest for at least the next 24 hours."

"No!" John tried to push her away so he could stand up, but Ronon was on his other side, pressing him back against the pillows. John knew he didn't have the strength to shrug Ronon off him. Hell, he barely possessed the strength to keep his eyelids peeled open at the moment. So he focused his attention on Keller, hoping to convince her that he was fine. "We have to find Teyla," John reminded her, seeing pain flash across Keller's face. Pain that he understood, because they were both Teyla's friend. "I just stood up too fast. Haven't eaten in a while...that's all. I'm okay." He was pretty much begging her to believe him.

"You're not okay, Colonel," Keller said gently. She had signalled to a nurse and the next thing John knew a curtain was being drawn and Keller was handing him a set of scrubs.

"I'm not staying here," John told her, glaring in defiance, because he could out stubborn a mule if the situation called for it. And this situation did. Teyla was waiting to be rescued and they were wasting time.

Keller sighed before locking eyes with him. "I know that you want to get out there and find Teyla. I want you to do that, I do. But you're in no condition to go anywhere right now. You're exhausted and dehydrated and you need to get some food in you."

John wasn't giving up that easily. He wasn't giving in. "You can lock me up in here after we get back. I don't care what you do, but I'm going after Teyla and I'm going now." Somehow he found the energy to push her aside and slide off the table before Ronon could react. Sadly, John's body wasn't listening to his brain. The moment his feet hit the floor his knees buckled and he couldn't stop himself from falling. Even as his body hit the floor, darkness claimed him.

OoO

He came awake with a jolt, dissolving the images in his head. Images that AI Rodney had put there. Teyla dead, Carter dead, Ronon dead, Keller dead. Everyone dead and gone and Atlantis adrift in a sea of sand.

"John?"

Rodney's voice came from his left and John turned his head and forced his eyes open, shifting to sit up and feeling a painful tug on the back of his left hand. He had an IV. Dammit. He must have passed out. "How long was I out?" He got the words out but it hurt because his throat was so dry.

"Eight hours, give or take," Rodney replied. He rose from the chair he'd been sitting in and moved to John's side. "Don't even think about getting up," he cautioned. "Keller has spies and she told me you're stuck here at least for 24 hours."

"We have to go after Teyla!" John snapped, regretting it as pain lanced through his temples. He lifted his IV-less hand to rub at them.

Rodney watched him for a moment, then reached for the ever present glass of water. He offered it hesitantly, accepting it back after John took a few sips. "So...without you in the mix the future is pretty grim," he said after a long moment of silence passed between them.

John felt angry and anxious and he wanted out of here - right now - but he swallowed the sharp retort on his lips and considered how horrible it had been for Rodney to hear about his life after John went missing. Or rather, the life he would have had if AI McKay hadn't existed to send John back. Which was all convoluted and headache inducing and John didn't want to think about it. He wanted to get through the gate and save Teyla. But he took a moment to reply to Rodney's comment. "Once we find Teyla, that future won't exist, Rodney. So don't dwell on it. Just remember you did good. You got me back here. You're the only one who could, and you did it. Thanks for that, by the way."

"Uh...you're welcome." Rodney looked a bit uncertain, like he wasn't sure what to say or do next. An odd event for McKay.

But John knew what to do. "Can you get Keller in here? We really need to get going." As he spoke, John was shoving the covers back. He would hit the bathroom, make a stop at his quarters to change then meet up with Colonel Carter to get this show on the road.

Only Keller's showed up even as Rodney was trying to keep John in bed, her expression grim. "Don't even think about trying to leave, Colonel!" She snapped at him. "I'll strap you down if I have too."

"I don't have time for this!" John shot back, taking his anger and frustration out on Keller, since she made such an attractive and available target. "We have to find Teyla and we have to find her now! What is wrong with everyone?" Even though he wasn't being loud, he was being intense and the tension he felt was ratcheting up the pain in his head and suddenly John felt himself listing to the right. Someone caught his arm and help him upright till the vertigo passed.

Then Keller was fussing with his blankets, smoothing them back over him. "You're exhausted and still dehydrated and you're not moving from this bed until you get a couple of good meals in you. You told us yourself that you didn't remember the last time you ate. You're in no condition to go after Teyla right now, Colonel. And you know that." Her tone was stern but her eyes were filled with compassion as she spoke.

John looked away, looking over to Rodney to support him, but McKay was staring at the floor. John knew he wasn't going to win this one. The worst of it being that he knew Keller was right. His body wasn't up to the fight. Not yet. But it would be as soon as could force it to be. Teyla was waiting to be found and John wasn't going to disappoint her. Taking a deep breath to force himself to calm down, John cleared his throat then asked, "Can I get something to eat now?"

"You can." Keller was nodding and looking pleased. "But this isn't going to be an instant fix, Colonel. You're still here for the duration. You were gone for twelve days. One more day won't change the timeline, but it will make a difference in your ability to do your job."

She was hitting below the belt a bit and John winced, but he also locked eyes with her and nodded to concede her point. "I get it. I'll stay put and eat and take a nap until you let me go. Okay?"

"Okay." Keller patted his arm. "I'll get you a tray."

When she was gone Rodney started shuffling his feet. "So...um...I should go and get things ready. You know...for when we leave."

John looked at Rodney, seeing how uncomfortable he looked. There were things he hadn't told anyone. Details about the stories AI Rodney had told him that John hadn't shared. Things he didn't think was anyone's business but his own. Sharing them might even mess up this present and the future that had yet to be. John didn't want to take any chances. Nor did he want to burden Rodney with all the loss he had suffered in that other timeline. Because everything was going to change now. John was going to see to it. Teyla would come back to them, she and her baby. They wouldn't be scattered and alone in the end. Not if John could help it. But he sensed there was something Rodney wanted to say, so he prompted him. "What is it, Rodney?"

"Nothing...no...nothing." But it was obvious Rodney was lying. After a moment of turning back and forth from the door to John's bed and unable to move an actual step in either direction, Rodney huffed a breath then blurted out, "Did I tell you about Carson? I mean, AI me."

"No." John winced at how abrupt he sounded. "I...uh...I didn't ask either. Sorry. I guess...I kinda didn't want..."

Rodney flapped a hand at him. "No, I get it. Can't say as I blame you. Knowing everything isn't always a good thing." Rodney sighed, scrubbed a hand over his face and finally turned towards the door. "I'll be back later," he muttered, then he was gone.

John leaned against the pillows, having to force the tension out of his muscles. He let his eyes drift closed for a moment. "Hang on Teyla," he whispered softly. "We're coming."

It was a promise he intended to keep.

**THE END**


End file.
